Brenda Blethyn, the 78-year-old English actress acclaimed for her two Oscar nominations and numerous other accolades, has made the difficult decision to depart the long-running detective series ‘Vera’ after its upcoming 14th season. This final season, set to begin filming this summer in Northumberland and North East England, will comprise two 120-minute episodes, bringing closure to the beloved series that first aired in May 2011.
Brenda Blethyn’s portrayal of DCI Vera Stanhope, a character initially brought to life in the bestselling ‘Vera Stanhope’ novels by Ann Cleeves, has captivated audiences for over a decade. In a statement, Blethyn expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to embody Vera, acknowledging the show’s creators, cast, and crew for their contributions.
Reflecting on her journey as Vera, Brenda Blethyn said, ‘Working on ‘Vera’ has been a joy from beginning to end and I’m sad to be saying Cheerio. But I am so proud of our achievements over the last 14 years.’
Kate Bartlett, the creative director of Silverprint Pictures, which has been heavily involved in the production of ‘Vera,’ shared her perspective on the series’ conclusion: ‘It is the end of an era and has been an extraordinary journey over 14 amazing series of ‘Vera.’ So many wonderful and talented people have been involved in the making of ‘Vera’ across all the series, but none of us would be here without two incredible women: firstly, the absolutely extraordinary talent of the inimitable Brenda Blethyn. She is brilliant as DCI Vera Stanhope, a truly iconic character of our times. And — of course — the amazing Ann Cleeves, author of the original novels and creator of DCI Vera Stanhope. We will all be very sad to say goodbye to Brenda and everyone involved in making the show.’
